In Florida, there are six types of alimony. They are Permanent, Rehabilitative, Durational, Bridge-The-Gap, Temporary and Lump Sum alimony. Specific information on Florida Alimony law can be found in Florida State Statutes Section 61.08. For our purposes we will generally refer to all as simply: Alimony.

If you have been ordered by the court to pay alimony, you are considered the Payor. The person who receives alimony is considered the Payee. Alimony is money paid to an ex-spouse for the purpose of maintaining a standard of living and obtaining training or job skills. Generally, courts impose restrictions on the payee. These restrictions generally include that they may continue to receive alimony as long as they:

Remain single and unmarried

Do not obtain employment or increase their income substantially

Do not cohabitate with another non-blood relative adult who contributes to the household. Alimony can be terminated or reduced if the payor spouse can prove that the payee spouse is living with another person and receiving a financial benefit from that arrangement.

Many of the clients that come to us for Alimony Reduction Investigations are paying permanent alimony. Oftentimes, these payments, over the life of the parties, can add up to millions of dollars. An Alimony Reduction Investigation can assist in determining if the payee is still entitled to alimony at all and /or if the payee should receive a reduced amount of alimony based on changes in the payee’s financial or living arrangements.

The services we generally recommend at Rick Raymond Investigations include some or all of the following listed solutions:

Public Records Checks – These include civil judgments, marriage license searches and law suit research.

Asset Checks – These searches reveal if the subject has purchased real estate, vehicles, vessels, aircraft or other tangible property and a check to determine if the property is jointly owned is also undertaken.

Trash Pulls – This type of investigation is the actual taking of the payee’s trash from the curb at their listed place of residence. The courts have upheld that the act of placing the trash at the curb for garbage pick-up is considered an act of abandonment. For that reason, it is perfectly legal to take the trash. Our firm then examines each piece of paper or any other helpful evidence obtained for the purpose of determining if the payee’s lifestyle or living arrangements have changed.

Surveillance – This tactic can be highly effective to determine where the payee is living, who the paying is living with and where the payee is working. In order for surveillance to be effective in establishing a pattern of co-habitation, multiple periods of surveillance must be undertaken. These surveillance periods usually should be no less than 4 days per week for a period of approximately 2-6 months staggering weeks. In other words, we may work 4 days surveillance one week and then come back 2 weeks later and do the same on staggered days. It is paramount that a pattern be revealed that a judge or any reasonably prudent person can look at and clearly realize that cohabitation is evident. Surveillance can be expensive, but at Rick Raymond Investigations we offer discounts for extended surveillance in the form of a reduced daily flat rate. Sort of like “frequent flyer miles” for investigative clients.

Our Alimony Reduction Investigations have proven highly successful. Particularly,when approached in a methodical and strategic manner. Recently, we saved a client $90,000.00 per year with an effective Alimony Reduction Investigation.The length of that particular investigation took over a year to complete. The amount spent is certainly worth it when you consider that the client would have paid $90,000.00 per year for the rest of their life.

If we can assist you with an Alimony Reduction Investigation, please call us today!

(NOTE:We are not attorneys and do not give legal advice. The above should not be relied upon as legal advice. Please consult an attorney before initiating investigative services.)